[Dakota]

Hi all, just joined the forums and have a question for ya. I currently own a pair of ety er6i's and have been extremely pleased with them. The detail compared to my old mdr-ex71's is incredible. The bass is a bit distant and dull in my opinion but my ears have become accustomed to this so it is not a major problem.

However, i am currently on my third pair and they have broke again. The build quality is terrible. The last two times it has been a problem with itermittent sound due to the plug but this time i cant seem to work out whats wrong. All credit to etymotic though the service is great even though i am situated in the UK.
Anyway back to what i wanted to ask, i am looking to upgrade my canal phones and i am currently looking towards the shure e4c's. Will i notice much difference in terms of sound quality? Can u recommend any other earphones.

Sound is obviously important to me but now build quality is also very important. Also i think they do need to look respectable since i do have my earphones everywer i go and at school.

Anyway some advice would be greatly appreciated. ( does anyone have a picture of the e4c's with triple flange earbuds on?)
cheers.

 

[jagorev]

Hmm...if you're unhappy with the build quality on these, I don't think super.fi or Shure is much of an improvement. They're likely to break just as much. Super.fi 5pro seems like a nice upgrade...it will be my next step, fwiw.

 

[Dakota]

looking at images on the internet though the shure plug and cable split seems alot more substantial?.? anyway any other thoughts?

 

[bubsdaddy]

Build quality on the E2's is pretty good. I have used mine for 2 years now with no problems. I recently did the Kramer mod and the treble and midrange are much better now. I have never heard the ety's so I can't compare.

 

[parrot5]

I currently own the ER-6 and is thinking about the exact same thing. At first I wanted the Super.fi 5 Pro, and then after reading a few reviews here I'm now leaning towards the Shure E4. To say the truth, I didn't get much suprise or ear-gasm when I first tried the ER-6. It's more like "yeah, that's how this piece of music should sound", "no over coloration like cheap speakers", that sort of thing. I've been looking to upgrade ever since I got this ER-6. Is the E4 an absolute upgrade to the ER-6?

 

[jagorev]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dakota looking at images on the internet though the shure plug and cable split seems alot more substantial?.? anyway any other thoughts?

So you would think. However, Shure build quality is something of a joke. Just reading the forum gives you the impression that these break quite easily, as does the housing and cables of the super.fi line. My friend has ended up purchasing two e2c, since one is always broken or sent in for repair. And the rugged-looking Shure cables have way more problems than the insubstantial Ety cable.

 

[warpdriver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by parrot5 I currently own the ER-6 and is thinking about the exact same thing. At first I wanted the Super.fi 5 Pro, and then after reading a few reviews here I'm now leaning towards the Shure E4. To say the truth, I didn't get much suprise or ear-gasm when I first tried the ER-6. It's more like "yeah, that's how this piece of music should sound", "no over coloration like cheap speakers", that sort of thing. I've been looking to upgrade ever since I got this ER-6. Is the E4 an absolute upgrade to the ER-6?

If you like the lively highs of the ER6, you might find the E4 kind of recessed and dull sounding.

So YMMV. I wouldn't trade my ER6i's for E4's unless it was a free upgrade.

 

[Dakota]

has anyone had experiences with shures warranty service? I would go for the er-4's but the design is somewhat none existent. In other words there not really that discreet...

ok so anyone who owns e4c's, wats the build quality like? Also how much of the earphone can u see when they are in your ears?

 

[VicAjax]

if sound is really top priority, and you really like the sound of your er6i, then i'd recommend you stay with etymotic and go for the er4p. while the design is blah, the SQ is a significant upgrade from the er6i. i also find them to be quite durable, as i've had mine for 2 years + with almost no sign of wear and tear.

the shure e4c are definitely an upgrade to the er6i in SQ, if you like the sound signature... which you may. if you've never tried the shure line, you may actually find it appealing and not even know it. i can't say anything about build quality/durability, although i've always been impressed by their apparent build quality.

 

[Dakota]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VicAjax if sound is really top priority, and you really like the sound of your er6i, then i'd recommend you stay with etymotic and go for the er4p. while the design is blah, the SQ is a significant upgrade from the er6i. i also find them to be quite durable, as i've had mine for 2 years + with almost no sign of wear and tear. the shure e4c are definitely an upgrade to the er6i in SQ, if you like the sound signature... which you may. if you've never tried the shure line, you may actually find it appealing and not even know it. i can't say anything about build quality/durability, although i've always been impressed by their apparent build quality.

Thanks for that, was helpful. What type of signature sound do the shures have over the etymotics. I would say the strong point of the etys is the great detail, but what advantages from a sound point of view do the shures have?

Also where do the super.fi 5 pros fit into this? Do they have a better sound that is more invloving because of the dual drivers?

 

[VicAjax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dakota Thanks for that, was helpful. What type of signature sound do the shures have over the etymotics. I would say the strong point of the etys is the great detail, but what advantages from a sound point of view do the shures have?

the er4p is about detail, resolution and airiness. it's flat across the FR, but the key to getting good bass is proper insertion. my opinion is that most people who declare them to have thin bass either don't have them in properly or are using them with a bass-deficient source (non-shuffle, non-5G ipod, for instance).

the entire shure line tends toward a warmer sound signature, with generally rolled-off highs. the e4c is probably the flattest of the shures. it's bassier than the er4p in terms of volume, but that bass is looser/less controlled. the highs are good compared to the rest of the shure IEMs, but still not as "shimmery" as the er4p. to me, it just sounds a little more "dead" compared to the etys.

don't get me wrong, the e4c are very good... i just prefer the etys. i can't take umbrage with people who think the etys tend toward sibilance or harshness... these people tend to prefer the somewhat smoother (if blander) highs of the e4c.

Quote:

Also where do the super.fi 5 pros fit into this? Do they have a better sound that is more invloving because of the dual drivers?

i've never heard the SF5pros, so i can't help you out with that. as far as i can tell, they seem to be in a dead heat with the e4c around here.

 

[Dakota]

Thanks again, i must admit i have sometimes found the etys to be a little harsh but i think that is down to some of my songs being at low bitrates and so that is my fault for only having an ipod nano. As soon as the 6G ipod hits the shelves i hope to upgrade.
With regards to fit the er6is are very good and i have no problems with the triple flange. Isolation is excellent, is this the same with the triple flange on e4c? Also i am slightly curious as to how noticable the e4c are when wearing them. Do they stick out from your ears much?
I try not to attract to much attention since if anyone notices them, i get the comments like "as if you would pay that much for a pair of headphones" and "the buds that came with my ipod sound great".

 

[LaBreaHead]

"I try not to attract to much attention since if anyone notices them, i get the comments like "as if you would pay that much for a pair of headphones" and "the buds that came with my ipod sound great"."

Then there's always,"What -- you couldn't afford an iPod?"

 

[Dakota]

well after reading this review and the commnets following:

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...&highlight=e4c

i think i am leaning towards the e4c. now all i gotta do is get my er6i's replaced and sell em to raise funds.
btw does anyone know if my several packets of triple flange tips for the er6i will fit the e4c's by modifying them slightly since i paid like £15 ($30 rip) for a pack of 10.

 

[Spyro]

I am amazed how some people think that "great detail" trumps everything else.